Lifesaving device



Aug. 15, 1950 BURKHARDT 2,518,750

LIFESAVING DEVICE Filed July 28, 1949 14550 may jFzvemZor Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFESAVING DEVI-CE Edwin H. Burkhardt, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application July 28, 1949, Serial No. 107,189

8 Claims.

. 1 ,This invention relates, to a life-saving device, and particularly to a life-saving device comprising an inflatable member and automatically acting means for inflating said member.

It is an object of this, invention to provide a life-saving device comprising an inflatable member, a vessel containing air or other gas under pressure, and means acting automatically when the device is submerged for discharging the air or gas from said vessel into said inflatable member.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a life-saving device comprising an inflatable member made of yielding flexible material, a vessel containing air or other gas under pressure, said vessel having an opening through which said air or gasfmay be discharged, said member having a portion overlying said vessel and having an opening therein aligned with said opening, means for engaging said portion and closing said openings, a member under tension holding said means in position and a member of material readily soluble in water holding said last mentioned member in holding position.

"It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a life-saving device comprising an inflatable member of yielding flexible material, a vessel containing air or other gas under pressure and having an opening therein through which said air or gas may be discharged, said member having a portion engaging said vessel with. an, openin -therein aligned with said opening, said member having a portion folded to overlie said first mentioned portion'and opening and carrying means engaging said first mentioned portion and covering said opening, a lever engaging said folded portion forholding said means in position, and a member of material readily soluble in water engaging said lever and holding the same in position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a life-saving device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a portion of said device;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4- comprising an inflatable member l0. While this member might-be variously formed, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as a substantially annular tube. Said tube ID has a strap l I connected to one end having spaced holes therethrough, said straps being adapted to cooperate with a buckle l2 carried on a strap l3 secured to the other end of said tube. Said member I5 is preferably made of yielding flexible sheet material. A vessel I5 is provided, and while this might take various forms, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as of common bottle or cartridge form, the same having a neck portion 150. of reduced diameter which may be provided with a suitable closure l6. Vessel I5 is adapted to contain air or other gas under pressure and will commonly be charged with said gas through the neck portion l5a. Member I5 is provided with an opening l5b through the wall thereof and member In has a portion Ina, overlyin and engaging the outer side of vessel I5,

-l0a. A member [9 is provided and will be held undertension. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, member 19 is in the formof a lever and has secured to one end thereof a piece or disk 20 of yielding material. Piece 20 is aligned with piece I! and acts to hold the latter in engagement with portion Illa so that openings lllb and I51) are closed. Lever I9 is fulcrumed upon a-s'mall bracket 2| secured in any suitable manner to vessel l5, the same having a portion 2|a having a convex surface engaged by lever l9. Lever I9 is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 by a member 22 which will be made of material which will be readily and very quickly soluble in water. Such material could be salt, sugar or one of a great many more materials which are readily and quickly soluble which can be made in solid form. Member 22 engages the other end of lever l9 and in the embodiment of the invention illustrated is shown as engaging the neck portion l5a.

In operation the member II] will be worn on the body of the user. Should the user be thrown into the water, as by falling from a boat or other place, the member 22 would be wetted and would immediately dissolve, thus releasing lever IS. The lever I9 would then not be supported at the end carrying member 22 and the pressure of the air or gas in vessel 15 would push member 11, portion lo and member 29 away from portion Illa, as shown in Fig. 5. Portion lfla will preferably be connected to container [5. The air or gas from vessel '15 is now discharged into member Ill and the same will be inflated. The user will thus be supported in the water and can reach'a place of safety.

From the above description it will be seen that w I have provided a very simple andyet highly efiicient automatically acting life-saving device. The member it? may be made in various forms so as to be disposed under the clothing of the wearer, around the neck or around the waist. Sufiicient air or gas is contained in the vessel IE to effectively inflate member 10. It is obvious that the device will have a high degree of utility for the purpose intended.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be madev in the form, details, arrangement andproportions of the parts, without departing from the scope oiapplicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinationsof parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

i. A life-saving device having in combination, an inflatable member of flexible yieldingmaterial, a vessel containing gas under pressure and having an opening through which said gas may be discharged, said member having an opening therein in alignment with said opening and engaging said vessel, a second member covering said I,

opening, a third nember under tension holding said second member in position, and a member of material readily soluble in water holding said third member in position.

2. A life-saving device having in combination,

an inflatable member of flexible yielding material, a vessel containing gas under pressure and having an opening through which said gas may be discharged, said member having an opening therein in alignment with said openin and engaging said vessel, a second member covering saidopening,a lever engaging said second member, and a third member of material readily soluble in water holding said lever inholding position.

3. The structureset forth in claim 2, a bracket 1 ing an opening therein, a portion of said inflatable member having an opening therein aligned with said opening, said inflatable member being folded to have a portion overlying said openings, means on said last mentioned portions closing said openings and a member under tension holding said folded portion and means over said opening and a member of material readily soluble in water holdin said last mentioned member in position.

5. A life-saving device having in combination, an inflatable member of flexible yielding material, a vessel containing air under pressure and having an opening therein, a portion of said inflatable member having an opening therein aligned with said opening, said portion being secured to said vessel, said inflatable member being folded to have a portion overlying said openings, a disk of yielding material secured to said last mentioned portion and engaging and, covering said opening in said inflatable member, a lever having one end engaging said folded portion and a member of material readilysoluble inwater holdin said lever in position.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5; said lever having a disk of yielding material thereon overlying said folded portion-of'said inflatable member in alignment with said opening.

7. A life-saving device having in combination, an inflatable member offlexible' yielding material, a vessel containing air under pressure and having an opening through which said air may be discharged, said inflatable member having a portion overlying said vessel and having an opening therein aligned with said opening, said portion being secured'to said'vessel, said inflatable member h ving a folded portion overlying said first mentioned portion and opening,'a piece of yielding material secured to said folded portion and engaging said first mentioned portion and covering said opening, a member under'tension engaging said folded portion to hold the same and said piece in position, and a member of material readily soluble in water holding said last mentioned member in position.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7, said member under tension constituting a lever of the first class, a bracket secured to said vessel on which said lever is fulcrum'ed and said last mentioned member of soluble material engaging one end of said lever.

EDWIN H. BURKHARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 672,216 Mitchell Apr. 16, 1901 1,117,639 Cooey Nov. 17, 1914 1,290,927 Fontaine et al Jan. 14, 1919 

